Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-18

branches shall hereafter have 10 further
claim upon the University funds or lands.
The bill repeals all laws in conflict, in
Guiding that providing 8 separate direct
Org for the Agriculture! and Mechanical
College. An emergency clause is added
for the bill to have immediate effect.
The DROUTH RELIEF COMMITTEE.
General Lane, Judge league ana Mr..
Ferguson, composing the committee sp-
pointed to distribute the appropriation
| by the LEGISLATURE of 500 900 20 the
drouth sufferers, have returned 10 Austin
and handed in their official reports to
| Governor Ross at q late hour This evening.
1t was turned over by bIr. Holmes, the
| Governors private secretary, to one Of
| the committee clerks TO be read before
| the legislative body 10 mOrrOw. The re-
! port contains the figures ana facts show
! ing the acts of the committee, with which
! the public is already familiar.
ENFORCEMENT OF TIE REVENUE LAWS.
| Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, Ten, March l6.-A bill came
up for consideration in the House this
morning th&t proposes law to give dis
CrGtioHarY powers to the Governor, when
ever he deems it necessary, TO employ
competent agents, not to exceed three in
number, to visit under the direction of
the Governor any part OF the state for
the purpose of seeing that the laws re-
quiIing persons dealing in Intoxicating
liquors have taken out their
license and complied with the
law. These agents are further
empowered to demand for inspection he
certificate Of the collector OF taxes for the
county in which lie or they are doing bust
ness. These agents also have power 10
examine the books OF the tax collector if
they deem il necessary 50 20 do. ii after
investigation into the business OF any
liquor dealer or inspection of any col
lcCtOr's books they secure useful and
necessary information for an Indictment
or information, they will 50 report - the
Governor or Comptroller, 8nd give the
name or names Of the person
or p persons who are violating the law,
giving the county, city or town
where such illegal or unauthorized bust
ness is carried on, and in addition TO
thereto, the agents shall preserve the
names Of responsible witnesses 10 be fur
nisAed the attOrney representing the
state il the prosecutions OF any violations
under the occupation law Tor the sale Of
liquors. The bill also makes it INSIDE
meauOr for dealer 30 refuse 70 exhibit |
to the agent OF demand the certificate OF
the tax collector under penalty OF fine
Of not less than $50 and not more than
5000. The tax collector also who refuses
on demand to furnish his books to the |
agent for inspection lays himself liable 20 |
fac OF not less than $50 nor more than |
500. For their services these agents
shal! receive 6 sum not to exceed $3.50
per month tor the time actually engaged
and all their reasonable necessary eX-
p6nScs.
An amendment offered for the purpose
Of striking out that feature Of the dill that
permitted prosecutions to be had in any
county Of the state, provoked 2 hearty
debate that was carried on until
the further consideration Of the bill
was postponed to give place to the
general land bQl set IS q Special order |
The arguments Of the supporters Of the
appointment Of agents 10 help enforce |
the law for the collection OF taXes from |
the liquor dealers, seemed to be based |
lsrgely upon the alleged failure CT the |
collectors to enforce the law, as shown by |
the recent investigation Of the COmptrol- |
ler's office, whereby the state was de- |
frauded out OF large amount OF her rev |
enue. The opponents set forth the evil !
tendencies foreshadowed in this system of !
trying TO enforce the penal avs of our
state, pointing TO the perniciOu5 ex- |
amples growing out of this system |
under the Republican rule in Texas. !
Trey also held it TO be gross injustice to !
drag a man out of bis own county TO |
some other county among strangers 10 be !
tried, when the expense would be largely /
4 oh = fofr C1
less certain, because Of the difficulty of |
prejudice that might exist between the !
SECTORS.
TIE LAND BILL.
The Senate substitute land bill came |
up as g special order in the House |
again this morning. a discussion !
arose over an amendment of !
Mr. GarWoCd 10 strike out the lease feat
ure of the bill On the ground that 1t was
uuConstitutioL al. TaOse supporting This .
amendment read ard commented upon
the constitutional provisions that relate
to the sale Of the public school lands, but
made no provisions foT the lease If these
lands Ia these arguments g distinction
WAS shown between the public school
lands and the lands granted to the C0Un-
ties for school purposes. In the latter it
was claimed th&t the state had vested the
absolute title in the counties with the
additional right to sell CT lease at their
option, but in the former the
state reserved the lands for sale only un-
less some special grant was conveyed for
special purposes. The journal Of the
constitutional convention that framed the
present constitution was referred 70 as
authority for the arguments, and ex
tracts were read to show that the
convention voted down the
proposition to lease the public school
landa and to page the proceeds to the use
OF the available school funds, consequently
the attempt of the present Leg stature TO
pass lease law as q means Of swelling
the available school fund was clearly OPP
posed to the intention of the provisions
Of the constitution as intended by its
trainers.
AS further argument II WAS claimed
that the object of the state should be TO
open up the agricultural lands within her
borders for actual settlement, and sIl (
lands that are found to be lot adapted to
cultivation should be sold in such guam
titles as wOuld mfke them durable for
grazing purposes AID place the proceeds
to the credit Of the available public
school funds, and if these lands were
sold on time the interest on the purchase
money wOald be greater than the amount )
# lease money received from the acreage
under the lease system. >
The House resumed the discussion of the
and bill al its evening session. The op- >
1onents to the GarWood amendment, in {
heir arguments, tTaVersed the ground !
occupied by the movers OF the amend 8
nnnt snd claimed thHt the lease law VAS